philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

360 camera buyer’s guide (Jan, 2017)

https://virtualrealityreporter.com/360-degree-vr-camera-review-comparison-guide-report/

Insta360 Nano First Camera Supports Twitter and Live 360 Video

Insta360 Nano, the world’s most popular clip-on 360 camera for iPhones, is the first 360 camera natively integrated with Periscope to support live 360 video. The new feature will enable anyone with a Insta360 camera to livestream 360-degree videos of live events, travel adventures, parties, gigs, festivals, or sports activities straight to Twitter and Periscope. To check out more 360 degree cameras, Check out The 360 Degree Camera Comparison Guide.

See the full story here: https://virtualrealityreporter.com/insta360-nano-vr-360-camera-live-video-twitter/

Stepping Into a 1920s Paris Apartment, From Fifth Avenue

She shrieked again when I revealed the secret, the thing I had not told her at breakfast: that the Chareau exhibit featured a virtual-reality re-creation of the apartment. (Credit for the mesmerizing display goes to the architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro.)

She put the virtual-reality headset to her eyes and was transported to the summer of 1969, the first time her parents had taken her and her siblings to Paris. Her father, by then in his 40s, had finally decided it was safe to go.

He had stayed away since shortly after World War II, worried that the French authorities would pull him aside in the customs line at the airport and send him back to the army. He had served in Charles de Gaulle’s Free French Forces. He left the army with a letter from Georges F. Doriot, himself a French émigré who had served in the United States Army, promising him a place at the Harvard Business School.

As my father-in-law told the story — and he told it often — his real motivation was avoiding the next conflict, in Indochina.

See the full story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/01/nyregion/stepping-into-a-1920s-paris-apartment-from-fifth-avenue.html?_r=0

Google Lines up CBS, Disney, Fox for Unplugged Streaming Video Service

The service initially was expected to be announced at the Consumer Electronics Show that begins in Las Vegas on Jan. 5, but unspecified technology delays and the need to finalize contracts have pushed it back to February or later, according to two knowledgeable people.

Google Unplugged is expected to be offered for less than $40 a month in a bid to undercut some of the existing over-the-top services. Sony's Vue, for instance, charges from $45 to $55 for three levels of service. DirecTV Now launched a few weeks ago at a promotional price of $35 a month for its 100-channel package, but that offering will retail for $60 per month once the promotion ends, with the service's offerings costing anywhere from $35 to $70 per month based on the number of channels.

See the full story here: https://www.thestreet.com/story/13934933/1/google-lines-up-cbs-disney-fox-for-unplugged-streaming-video-service.html

Zuckerberg Says Facebook ‘Not a Traditional Media Company’

The 1996 Communications Decency Act’s Section 230(c), otherwise known as the Good Samaritan act, says, “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” In other words, “media companies are considered more directly responsible for their content.” Avoiding the overt title of “media company,” says TechCrunch, helps protect the company from more liability.

The Guardian quotes Zuckerberg as going farther than ever before in acknowledging Facebook’s role. “We don’t write the news that people read on the platform,” he said. “But at the same time we also know that we do a lot more than just distribute news, and we’re an important part of the public discourse.”

SiliconBeat suggests that, by not calling itself a media company, Facebook has avoided creating consistent policies related to media. It noted that, in the past year, the company “struggled with how it handled content.”

See the full post here: http://www.etcentric.org/zuckerberg-says-facebook-not-a-traditional-media-company/

Data Breaches, Whistleblowers and Augmented Reality Will Confront Courts in 2017

In re Pokemon Go Nuisance Litigation (N.D. Cal. – San Francisco)

What happens when people playing an "augmented reality" game on their smartphone become a real-world nuisance? U.S. District Judge James Donato of the Northern District of California is set to oversee test cases delving into that question.

Rabin v. PricewaterhouseCoopers (N.D. Cal. – San Francisco)

PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the "Big 4" of the accounting world, was hit last May with a federal lawsuit in San Francisco alleging that it has systematically attempted to fill its ranks with "millennials" while denying work opportunities to older accountants. It's one of a stream of recent age discrimination suits—others have targeted Silicon Valley firms like Hewlett-Packard—and attempts to take on common corporate practices like university campus recruiting.

Dynamex Operations West v. Superior Court (California Supreme Court)

At stake is whether a worker should be considered an employee—and not an independent contractor—only if the employer demonstrates "control" over the laborer, or if broader factors set out by the state's Industrial Welfare Commission should be considered as well. Those encompass both control over wages and hours, or just requiring or permitting work (known as the "suffer-or-permit" standard).

See the full story here: http://www.therecorder.com/id=1202775885942/Data-Breaches-Whistleblowers-and-Augmented-Reality-Will-Confront-Courts-in-2017?slreturn=20161131194332

Alabama AD Bill Battle Talks iBeacon Technology, In-Venue Seat Upgrades, Augmented Reality

5) What are some of the ways in which the Alabama athletic department has integrated new forms of technology into Bryant-Denny Stadium to enhance the fan experience?

1. Experience App: In-venue seat upgrades, behind-the-scenes tours, ability to run out on the field with the team, etc.
2. Cellular DAS: Not exactly new technology, but ubiquitous connectivity is still an art by which (according to my people) all venues are challenged.
3. iBeacons: Wireless loyalty/rewards offerings. As a rewards member walks near a beacon, their phone can provide a range of interactions where we issue points for staying until after the game was over or simply walking by a concession stand and getting a coupon for a hot dog.

6) Give us your bold prediction about a form of technology that will be integral to college athletics over the next 12 months and why?

Performance Analytics vs. Artificial Intelligence (AI). Can we accurately predict and prevent some injuries based off of collected data? An algorithmic-based approach is key now, but how does AI and supercomputing begin to play a role in this process? There is nothing new with the analytics here, but having the ability to see reports and make decisions in near real-time can be the game changer.

See the full story here: http://www.sporttechie.com/2016/12/31/expert-series/alabama-ad-bill-battle-talks-ibeacon-technology-in-venue-seat-upgrades-augmented-reality/

Get Ready For Multisensory Virtual Reality That Goes Far Beyond Sight And Sound

In October, I had the opportunity to try out the Rez Synesthesia Suit: A Velcro-on body rig concept that uses countless pulsing motors to add the sense of touch to virtual reality experiences. The experience was rough, but somewhat amazing: As I waved my hand through HTC Vive-rendered bubbles, I could "feel" their presence.

If you don't remember the Digiscents iSmell Personal Scent Synthesizer, you are far from alone. Widely regarded as one of the biggest flops in gadget history (and and a mainstay of "Worst Ever" lists), the 2001 computer peripheral promised to emit a wide range of specific smells while users surfed the Web. As Wikipedia describes it: "The device contained a cartridge with 128 'primary odors' which could be mixed to replicate natural and man-made odors. DigiScents had indexed thousands of common odors, which could be coded, digitized, and embedded into web pages or email."

You can get a taste of virtual reality at Facebook pop-up stores

The stores are part of a virtual reality tour to introduce the tough-to-explain technology to the masses. They're available in several big cities across the country, including Denver, New York, Phoenix and San Diego, through the end of January.

"It's all about the first step," said Stephanie Llamas, director of research and insights at SuperData Research. "Once they take it, you open them to a world of possibilities they couldn't have imagined. It's a Matrix moment. But they can't know the possibilities without being proactive, so companies not only have to make consumers aware but also make them feel like trying it was their own idea."

See the full story here: http://www.11alive.com/news/nation-now/you-can-get-a-taste-of-virtual-reality-at-facebook-pop-up-stores/380829239

Sony Unveils Augmented Reality Display and Development Kit

Sony has this week unveiled its latest foray into augmented reality (AR), with the release of the LMX-001 holographic waveguide display and development kit.

According to the the company’s developers site, the unit will allow for “customised hardware and software solutions”, and “displays clear graphics and text directly in the field of view of the user”.

• Resolution : 419×138 pixels
• FOV : 19°×6° (20° diagonal)
• Color : 8 bit monochrome green
• Contrast : 200:1
• Brightness : 2000 cd/m²
• Virtual image distance: 8.0 m

See the full story here: http://powerupgaming.co.uk/2016/12/29/sony-unveils-augmented-reality-display-and-development-kit/